Life After 66
by SweeneyGirl310593
Summary: Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano and her story of survival. My second fic. Rated K plus for Jedi purge violence. My character Norrin and NewAnakin appear in later chapters. Slightly AU.
1. A Mission Well Done and a New Order

**Disclaimer: George Lucas and his companies and their shareholders own Star Wars. Any unrecognisable characters and scenarios are mine.**

**Author's Note: I recently watched the Clone Wars and really liked the character of Ahsoka. So I thought I'd give her her own story about surviving the tragic Order 66. **

**Life After 66 **

**Chapter 1**

Thirteen year old Ahsoka Tano pulled off her sweaty pilot's helmet, flicked her orange, blue and white head-tails back and breathed a sigh of relief. The intense space battle that had been won only moments before by her squadron had raged above Hija Five, the desert-like Republic mining colony for almost a month. When a peace deal with the Separatist invaders had turned sour, Jedi Padawan Tano had been given her first official solo mission of the War by her good friend and mentor, Anakin Skywalker just before he had been recalled to Courisant to rescue the Chancellor from Separatist capture. "This was supposed to be my next mission but I suppose you'll do instead!" he had joked "G'luck, Snips". 'Snips' was his pet name for her, referring to her impulsive and feisty attitude. She looked at the scene of weary triumph around her and smiled. She _would _have a lot to tell Anakin when she returned.

"Well," she said over the comms link to her commander "we did it, Commander Yu'ri! Man, that was close, especially with those vultures. I thought I was toast! "

"Thanks to your quick thinking, Captain Tano," the clone replied.

"What you really mean is 'thanks to your ignoring all the rules of battle and charging ahead anyway', right?"

"Touché".

Ahsoka was just preparing a suitably witty reply when she noticed the incoming message icon flash in the corner of the screen. The message was for her commander. Something seemed strange in that it was an exclusive message, for Yu'ri's eyes only. Given her current good mood, Ahsoka brushed it off and hacked into Yu'ri's M.R.A., or Message Reception Address, more for curiosity than reassurance. The actual message however was equally strange and so was the Commander's reaction to it.

A hologram image of Chancellor Palpatine himself appeared, dressed in a full cloak that covered everything but his hands and lower face. The Chancellor's unusual choice of clothing was slightly unsettling. "Execute Order 66" he ordered Yu'ri.

"It will be done, my Lord" the Commander told his superior, an edge of obedient hardness to his voice that Ahsoka had never before heard in her friend. Now, she defiantly needed reassuring. "What's Order 66?" she asked with a rising sense of dread.

"This" he said simply and unleashed a salvo of lazer fire on her starfighter.


	2. What's Happening?

**Disclaimer: George Lucas and his companies and their shareholders own Star Wars. Any unrecognisable characters and scenarios are mine.**

**Author's Note: I recently watched the Clone Wars and really liked the character of Ahsoka. So I thought I'd give her her own story about surviving the tragic Order 66. **

**Life After 66 **

**Chapter 2**

Ahsoka swerved out of the way, her survival instinct taking over her sense of hurt confusion at her friend, the Commander's betrayal. While the experience was obviously his, she had the edge born of the Force that allowed her to escape his volley of lazer fire. But as more of her own pilots joined the fray, she realised she couldn't hold them off forever. As one blast found its way to her hull she faked worse damage than it actually was (Anakin Skywalker's modifications held up better than that) and made a shaky dive for the planet below. She jettisoned her spare parts and blew them up, one of Obi-Wan Kenobi's old tricks, and so convinced the clones that she was dead, in theory.

She waited down on the planet for several minutes then took off and flew at low altitude until she reached the planet's other side. From there she made her getaway and jumped to lighspeed. She then received a message telling her the War was over in the Republic's favour and all Jedi must return to the Temple. One and a million thoughts pulsed through her brain as she flew anxiously to the Capital. One was dominant: 'I need to find Anakin'.

[Upon arrival]

Ahsoka climbed down from her starfighter on Corisant. The whole city and the spacelanes around it were in chaos and even three miles away it seemed the Jedi Temple was no different. As she approached the Temple, the earlier dread returned as she saw smoke rising from the Temple. She was about to question a pair of clone troops when a Jedi boy half her age ran out, lighsaber in his hand and fear in his eyes. The troops gunned him down. Ahsoka stifled a cry of horror and outrage. 'How could they, how _dare_ they!' she fumed. She took up her own lightsaber and felled the two clone traitors, running inside to save her fellow Jedi.

[]

Inside, it was a shambles. Ahsoka ran through the Temple, saving as many as she could, all the while trying desperately to locate Anakin. She could feel that he was here, but something was terribly wrong with him. His emotions were wild and ragged. She tried to call to him but there was no reply.

She heard the sobs of a young Mon Cal boy whose mentor had been killed. Ahsoka took his hand and led him and a group of younglings down the passage to her old tunnel. A secret place that led to the landing platforms. It had been a game of hers as a youngling. She never thought she would have to use it to save lives. She no longer fitted through the midsection of the tunnel so urged the younger ones to go on without her "don't worry, I'll be Okay. Just find… somewhere safe". After a few minutes she ran to the window and was relieved to see a Jedi ship leaving the atmosphere. 'They made it!'

She came to a staircase. Not content with killing Jedi, the clones were vandalising the Temple. A statue of Zacka Mote, the first appointed Mistress of the Archives had been decapitated. She cut those clones down and looked about. This was a quieter part of the temple, where the Jedi often sat to read on fine days, which had been untouched by death. She could still hear screams, though.

Suddenly, she whirled around and there stood, "Anakin!"

Her smile of relief faltered when he did not greet her. He glared darkly at her as if he was angered by her presence. "Master, what's going on here? The clones at Hija turned on me after our mission, even Yu'ri, and now-"

"Yes, the clones have been ordered by the Chancellor, no the _Emperor _of the new Empire to kill all Jedi on sight" he answered with a disturbing lack of emotion.

"Why?"

"Because they are traitors to the Empire" he answered.

"What are you talking about? We have to help the others!" she told him.

"We _won't _be helping them Ahsoka" he said flatly "the Empire is the way forward, the Sith are the way forward. The Jedi are holding us back with their lies and old, rigid ways."

"What have the Sith got to do with-"

"Emperor Palpatine is the Sith the Jedi have been looking for. But he can help me and Padme. He will help me save her and fulfil my destiny in a way the Jedi never would".

"This is about your dreams isn't it?". Anakin had recently been haunted by visions of his beloved secret wife dying. Ahsoka was one of only two Jedi who knew about her, the other being Anakin's teenage-hood best friend. "You honestly think that going along with Palpatine and this Order of his will save Senator Amidala from your nightmares?"

Anakin looked disturbed by her reasoning, as though he suddenly realised how flimsy his argument was. Suddenly a young Padawan, about Ahsoka's age charged into the corridor. As though to prove the fervour of his new beliefs, Anakin ruthlessly plunged his lightsaber into the girl's chest. Ahsoka's breath caught in her throat, who was this person? How could Anakin be capable of killing a child like that? She found herself crying.

"Well, Ahsoka, will you join me as my apprentice and help me eradicate these Jedi traitors? You're either in or out, your choice."

Ahsoka had to believe it now. Anakin's mind and heart had been lost to the Sith and neither reasoning or appealing to his emotions could change that. The realisation saddened her. She shook her head slowly.

"If you won't join me, stand aside so I can finish my job!"

Again, she shook her head.

"Get out of my WAY!" he roared.

"Anakin, you're like my older brother and I love you but… I just can't let you do this!" she sobbed

"So be it! I wish it did not have to be this way." he whispered, drawing his lightsaber.

She drew hers and they froze for several moments before beginning to duel. As sapphire and emerald performed a deadly dance, no words were exchanged. Ahsoka was putting up a good defence but she did not attempt anything more, she could not aim to hurt Anakin. He however held nothing back; he barely seemed to register who she was.

After almost five minutes, Anakin was, mercifully, called upon by his troopers, who needed assistance. "Very well." He told them and to Ahsoka he snapped, "get out of here, while you can". She did not need to be told twice, she pelted down the corridor and did not stop until she reached her starfighter. Roughly brushing away tears she told her R3 unit to take them 'far away from here' and tried desperately to get hold of other Jedi. "There must be someone who can help us out there R3" she said, dialling Master Kenobi's comms link


	3. The Next Step

**Disclaimer: George Lucas and his companies and their shareholders own Star Wars. Any unrecognisable characters and scenarios are mine.**

**Author's Note: I recently watched the Clone Wars and really liked the character of Ahsoka. So I thought I'd give her her own story about surviving the tragic Order 66. **

**Life After 66 **

**Chapter 3**

Ahsoka frantically tried to get hold of Obi-Wan. "He's not answering R3. I'll try to track his starfighter." Again, nothing. She decided to send a net transmission, to be broadcast to all Jedi Starfighters. It was risky, some of the fighters may have been intercepted by the clones, but it was a chance she was willing to take. She felt a pang of sadness when she thought how quickly she had grown used to the idea of the clones and their government being her enemies. "Hello, this is Padawan Ahsoka Tano. I am broadcasting to all Jedi frequencies. If anyone can hear this please, find me." She could feel tears coming again but refused to cry until she had found the others. Morning the turn of Anakin to the Sith would have to wait.

When she received no reply for a few hours, she decided to find somewhere to stay. She couldn't stay in orbit above a hostile planet until she heard from her fellow Jedi. She briefly toyed with the idea of going to Senator Amidala, after all, she had always been kind to Ahsoka. But Anakin would be there and Ahsoka didn't think she would be allowed to escape a second time. She chose Tatooine as her new base. After all, it was filled with such a multitude of species and backgrounds that she could remain well hidden from her hunters. And with a bit of luck, other Jedi would think the same way and she could meet them there. "R3, set a course for Tatooine. Take your time; we're not in a hurry". The droid obliged.

[Two hours later]

Ahsoka came out of lightspeed above the desert world of Tatooine. Without warning, several lazer shots blasted her ship. The damage was superficial but it caught Ahsoka off her guard. She sent a volley of shots back at her attacker, a small separatist droid ship that had yet to be disabled. It was programmed to shoot any ship with republic markings on sight. Even as her fire blasted the drone into oblivion, several blasts of lazer fire, its death throes, hit her in one of her twin engines. 'Not again!' she thought as her fighter fell nose-first through Tatooine's atmosphere.


	4. A New Hope

**Disclaimer: George Lucas and his companies and their shareholders own Star Wars. Any unrecognisable characters and scenarios are mine.**

**Author's Note: I recently watched the Clone Wars and really liked the character of Ahsoka. So I thought I'd give her her own story about surviving the tragic Order 66. **

**Life After 66 **

**Chapter 4**

A few hours later, Ahsoka had pulled herself from the wreckage of her ship and had salvaged what she could. Her faithful droid R3 6B was a pile of scrap metal so she had had to trudge on alone with her remaining possessions in her pack. She was vaguely aware of a leg and arm injury and thirst.

Eventually, she saw salvation. A small homestead, possibly a moisture farm, came into view. As Ahsoka got closer, she noticed a young woman, possibly in her mid-twenties with dark blonde hair and simple cloth clothes pottering about between the small igloo-like buildings, checking the moisture vaporators. "Hello!" called Ahsoka. The young woman looked up in surprise. "Oh, hello. Where did you come from?" she glanced at the burn on Ahsoka's arm "What happened to you?" she asked.

"Well, its kinda a long story. I'm Ahsoka, by the way." Ahsoka told her.

The woman introduced herself as Beru Lars. "Come in, Ahsoka. We'll clear those burns up. You certainly look as if you've been through the wars!" Ahsoka laughed ruefully at the irony. When Beru was tending to her, she noticed Ahsoka's lightsaber. It was then Ahsoka decided to tell Beru how she had ended up here, leaving out her conflict with Anakin. "Don't worry" Beru told her "My husband, Owen and I have nothing against the Jedi. You'll be safe here."

"I couldn't stay. I've got to find the others and-"

"No" said Beru "A teenager can't go chasing around a hostile galaxy. Please let us help."

Ahsoka suddenly felt a surge of gratitude. Beru didn't even know her and she was willing to let a fugitive stay at her home. Ahsoka smiled, even with so much evil and upheaval in the galaxy at the moment, good and constancy could be found.

"Beru, I'm home!" called a young, male voice, presumably Owen's "those Jawas are a nightmare. Tried to sell me some piece of scrap they called an R3 unit. Hello, what have we here?"

"Ahsoka Tano" replied Beru "she needs a place to stay for a while" after a few minutes of introductory conversation Beru stood up. "What do you want for dinner, you two? I'm starved!"

[After dinner in the Lars household]

Beru Lars had just put her young guest to bed and discussed Ahsoka with Owen. "Sorry to push it on us but she has nowhere to go. I couldn't turn her away."

"You were right. The kid wouldn't have lasted ten minutes in the desert. Especially as the Tuskins are on the move-"

"Don't let your dad hear that" murmured Beru, glancing worriedly at the desert. Owen's gentle stepmother, Shimi had been claimed by those savages and his father had never recovered.

Beru was still staring out of the window as Owen left to make preparations for the night. Suddenly she noticed another traveller on the back of an Eopie, a creature that looked like a bald half-horse, half-anteater, with several saddlebags. As Beru came outside to investigate, she noticed two things about the man. One; he was carrying a small bundle and two; he wore a lightsaber, so he was a Jedi. He dismounted and approached Beru. He placed the bundle in her arms and she gasped. Inside, was a tiny, sleeping baby who could only have been a day old.

"This is your nephew" said the man.

"But Owen and I are both only children" she said confused.

"Your husband has a stepbrother or, rather _had_ a stepbrother. A Jedi named Anakin who has betrayed his order. His wife is dead. This is their son."

The man's green-blue eyes held such sadness and regret. "You're Kenobi, aren't you? Anakin's mentor" the man nodded. "Anakin, Owen and I met once; I didn't think he was capable of…"

"Neither did I" said Kenobi.

The two stood in silence for a moment. "I must go" said Kenobi with sad resignation.

"But where will you go?" asked Beru.

"Don't worry about me; I don't deserve it after my failure. Just look after the boy". He walked back to the Eopie.

"Wait, what is the child's name?" asked Beru.

"Luke" replied Kenobi "Luke Skywalker".

Beru's heart went out to Kenobi, riding into the dark side of the sunset sky. Destined to hide for the rest of his life. She could tell he carried such blame and grief and hoped he could find some hope and peace. She glanced down at Luke, her nephew, and felt a surge of love. She was unable to have children of her own so Luke's arrival was a blessing for her and Owen. "Come on Luke, let's go meet your Uncle Owen!" The baby gurgled in agreement.

[]

Ahsoka woke up. She had felt a presence that she knew very well. Obi-Wan! She ran outside but he was too far to call back. She ran after him and called her friend's name but he was too far gone. She felt a pang of sadness and the blur of tears as she stared into the night. Beru found her eventually, took her back inside and introduced her to her new nephew, Anakin's son. Now Ahsoka's tears were of hope.


	5. Like Father Like Son

**Disclaimer: George Lucas and his companies and their shareholders own Star Wars. Any unrecognisable characters and scenarios are mine.**

**Author's Note: I recently watched the Clone Wars and really liked the character of Ahsoka. So I thought I'd give her her own story about surviving the tragic Order 66. **

**Life After 66 **

**Chapter 5**

[Six and a half years later]

"Ahsoka" said six year old Luke Skywalker, tugging on his friend's arm "Soka, please wake up". She grunted and glanced at the chronometer. It read 2:30. "Oh, Luke, it's the middle of the night!" she complained.

"I had a-nothing" he mumbled.

"Bad dream, huh?" asked the older girl.

He nodded. "Wanna talk about it?" she asked. He nodded again.

"Well, it was about two Jedi. They were duelling on a lava planet. One, the older one was trying not to hurt the younger one but the younger one, he was so angry he didn't care. He just wanted to win the fight. They were on top of platforms in the lava. The older one tried to get away from the fight by jumping to higher ground. The younger one tried to jump across to the older man but he didn't make it and fell in and, he, I saw him burning up and screaming. It was horrible!"

"I know. It was just a dream, though. It can't hurt you" she told the boy.

"Yeah. The thing is, I heard myself shouting 'Dad'. I thought he was my dad in the dream. Silly, huh, but it felt so real."

Ahsoka froze "your dad?" she parroted.

"Yeah, weird. I wish I could meet him, though."

"But Luke, your dad died in a speeder accident on a mission when you were born" the familiar lie.

"Still, they didn't find a, y'know, body. He could be alive, somewhere". The boy looked at her hopefully, wanting her to agree.

"Sure, Luke. Just be careful what you wish for" Ahsoka warned.

"Why?"

"Just, things aren't always what you expect, is all. You better, now?"

"Yeah, thanks for listening Soka. Love you, g'night."

"G'night, Luke. Get a good sleep; remember we're seeing the podrace tomorrow. We might be able to find a spare part for your vid droid at Anchorhead ". Ahsoka's smile faded as she stared at the boy's back. She had had that same dream many times and she knew it was real. The story, the lie that that the Lars's had agreed with her to protect Luke from the truth hurt Ahsoka to tell but the truth would be worse. They told Luke that Anakin Skywalker was a pilot navigator in a spice mining company who had run away to join the Republic army in the Clone Wars when he had met Obi-Wan Kenobi. In truth he was a slave boy-tuned Jedi who had turned his back on them in favour of the Sith to become Darth Vader, the most feared man in the Empire apart from the Emperor himself. Beru had made it clear that she did not want Vader to have anything to do with her nephew.

If she had loved Anakin as an older brother, she loved Luke, his son, as a younger one and had become part of the Lars household. Even when she had raised the money to buy a small one-person craft and be on her way, she hadn't wanted to and she doubted Luke would have let her. She smiled, sometimes he reminded her of Anakin. Even at six, he was showing his father's talent for mechanics and flying. She smiled again, turned over in her bed and fell back to sleep.


	6. A New Mission

**Disclaimer: George Lucas and his companies and their shareholders own Star Wars. Any unrecognisable characters and scenarios are mine.**

**Author's Note: I recently watched the Clone Wars and really liked the character of Ahsoka. So I thought I'd give her her own story about surviving the tragic Order 66. **

**Life After 66 **

**Chapter 6**

[6 pm, the next day]

Ahsoka and Luke returned to the Lars homestead chatting excitedly about the podrace, new spare parts and gadgets purchases in tow. "And Jo'can totally _walked_ over Zamas in the last lap. Though, I almost thought ol' Zam had it in the third lap".

"Zam always does well in the third stretch, but he burns himself out working up to it. Jo'can waits until the last moment. That's why he's so good" Ahsoka analyzed "and his looks don't hurt either!"

"Girls!" Luke sighed and they both laughed "c'mon lets go get my vid droid fixed, then we can try out the the vid game goggles. See if I can beat you at fencing" he challenged

"Not a chance, Squirt!" she told him ' I've been fencing since before you were born' she mentally added. 'Might be a bit out of practice, though'. Luke's Grandpa Cleigg called from his chair, "Just try not to kill each other for real, okay".

After several games of fencing and a holovid, Beru called "Luke, time for bed, I don't want to hear another holovid going on".

"Okay, Aunt Beru" Luke shouted back rolling his eyes to Ahsoka as she left the room. She decided to have an early night as well and returned to her room after bidding the family goodnight. She lazily shoved a holovid into the player, one of her favourite movies (a romantic movie, quite unusual for her, she was more the action or comedy type), and thought contentedly, this is my life now. I love it here.

It was then that she heard her comlink bleep. Something that hadn't happened in almost six and a half years. She tore over to her old pack and feverishly grabbed the comlink inside. She pressed the answer button. It was a recorded message from a tall, dark haired man in his early twenties. "Hello, fellow Jedi, I hope. My name is Malaki Jarrade and I'm broadcasting to all Jedi frequencies. If any more Jedi are out there, please find me". There the message ended. Ahsoka let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Just moments ago, her future and world had seemed so simple and certain but this short message had changed all that, a message that eerily echoed her own from half a dozen years ago. She had to find this Jarrade. She would have to leave the Lars's and Tatooine. Her last thought before she fell into fitful sleep was 'how am I gonna tell Luke his buddy is leaving?'


	7. Unfamilier Home

**Disclaimer: George Lucas and his companies and their shareholders own Star Wars. Any unrecognisable characters and scenarios are mine.**

**Author's Note: I recently watched the Clone Wars and really liked the character of Ahsoka. So I thought I'd give her her own story about surviving the tragic Order 66. **

**Life After 66 **

**Chapter 7**

[A week later]

Ahsoka came out of lightspeed above Corisant for the first time in six years and even from here she could tell things had changed. The planet gave off the aura of a military fortress instead of a governmental and cultural centre. She had decided when she left Tatooine that the best place to start looking for Jarrade was the Jedi Temple. She was unlikely to find him there but she might find a clue to his whereabouts. She fingered the comms link Luke had built her and given to her before she left. She had told him about her Jedi past and everything he didn't know about her. After a lot of hugging and tearful goodbyes to the Lars's, Luke had given her the comms link and had made her promise to keep in touch.

"Will we ever see each other again?" he had asked her.

"I don't know" she said truthfully "but I hope so. I'll never forget you, whatever happens". As she ruffled his hair she had thought to herself, 'Ahsoka, you've gone soft'.

"I hope you find what you're looking for out there" he had told her as she climbed into the ship she had bought two years ago in Mos Eiesly. She would use Luke's comms link instead of her own, standard issue one.

Once she was given clearance by the intimidating blockade, she descended through the atmosphere and headed towards the Jedi temple, making sure to take a leisurely rote so she didn't arouse suspicion. Many, unfriendly looking buildings had cropped up and the planet had an air of tension born of oppression. Then she landed near the Temple in one of the landing bays the Jedi used. Her landing kicked up a flurry of dust. As Ahsoka had rounded the corner, she tensed herself to battle armed guards but the Temple was deserted. She reminded herself that six years had passed so the guarding of the Temple to intercept stray Jedi was probably deemed unnecessary now. Besides, most Jedi would be sensible enough to avoid Corisant. She wondered for the umpteenth time that day whether she had made the right decision to leave Tatooine and the people that had become her family. But then she thought of the promises she had made at her Padawans induction ceremony and realised she had done the right thing. Whether it was the smart thing remained to be seen.

She climbed the Temple steps and looked around the entrance hall. She was saddened by what she saw. Blaster marks from the attack still scarred the walls and the mess and rubble littered the floor. Since the attack, graffiti had been drawn and valuables stolen. The once familiar halls had taken on a nightmarish state of dilapidation. It was horrible to see the place she once considered her home in this condition. She reached her room, her bed unmade, the glass of water still half full and gathered some more of her belongings together and put the travel case by the entrance to the temple, hidden behind a mutilated statue. She ascended the damaged stairs (the lifts no longer worked) and made her way to the archives. She wondered, grimly where the bodies of the Jedi and 501st Legion of clone troopers. They must have been taken away to be brunt. It was better than finding them though. She shuddered and decided to stop that train of thought in its tracks.

When she reached the archives she saw a similar scene, books, pages and holo records spread over the floor, the smashed computer terminals occasionally sparking, lighting up the hall like a flare. The power connection was still switched on. Ahsoka suddenly realised how foolish this endeavour was, she did not know where to start. And besides, she did not even know who this Jarrade was. Maybe she should go back to the Lars's or even seek out Obi-Wan. It was possible he had stayed on Tatooine. The thing was she didn't _know. _Because she was lost, clueless and alone and surrounded by destruction, she allowed herself a little cry. She stopped though, when she heard another noise that sounded like crying, too. The terminals sparked again and she tossed her head-tails back, clenched her fists and marched over to the source of the noise. She saw a shape, hunched in the corner, behind the holobook case for fiction records labelled 'Je-Ke'. "Hello?" she said uncertainly. There was another spark, illuminating the corner. Both people in it screamed.


	8. In Her Element

**Disclaimer: George Lucas and his companies and their shareholders own Star Wars. Any unrecognisable characters and scenarios are mine.**

**Author's Note: I recently watched the Clone Wars and really liked the character of Ahsoka. So I thought I'd give her her own story about surviving the tragic Order 66. **

**Life After 66 **

**Chapter 8**

"It's you!" said the shape, which turned out to be a young boy.

Ahsoka frowned in puzzlement. "Sorry, have we met?" The boy looked about twelve years old with tousled brown hair and dark skin.

"Of course, don't you remember? You saved my life and my four friends six years ago. At the Temple" the boy told her.

'Of course, the younglings' thought Ahsoka 'but didn't they leave the planet?'

"What are you doing here?" she asked

"I haven't been here all this time. I was sent here by my brother to find fellow Jedi about two weeks ago. And I guess, I have" he grinned "but a couple of clones, or 'stormtroopers' as they're calling them now have tracked me here. They've been looking for a couple of hours now. I hid in the archives until they gave up. Haven't got my lighsaber, see. Lost it a few weeks ago. My brother's building me a new one."

"Your brother?" she asked.

"Yeah, I guess you got his message. My name's Kaygun Jarrade. Malaki Jarrade is my brother."

She sighed, a stroke of luck.

"C'mon, then" said Kaygun, leaping out of the corner.

"Where?"

"To your old secret escape route, of course!"

[]

Ahsoka and Kaygun looked both ways at the familiar corner. Ahsoka had a brief flashback to the time when she had led a group of scared younglings along this corridor and smuggled them out through a tunnel. The furtive backward glance, the pulsing sense of urgency. It was only now that she realised a problem; "The midsection is too small for me and for you too now" she reminded him.

"Don't ya think I've already thought of that? I widened it myself a couple of years ago. My brother's been periodically broadcasting that message for years. Whenever he does I'm sent here to check if this is where people have come to look for us. I had to make sure I could escape by a way other than the front door if there was trouble" he told her.

"You brother sends you to the most dangerous place for a Jedi in the galaxy. I'm sorry but aren't you a little young for that?" she said, suddenly aware of how dull and Jedi elder-ish she sounded.

"He trusts me" the boy replied coolly.

"Sorry" she said "I've gone all over-protective since, ya know."

Kaygun nodded and said "are we gonna go back to base or stand here chatting?"

Ahsoka smiled. Secret bases, escapes, danger. She was back in her element.


	9. Meeting Malaki

**Disclaimer: George Lucas and his companies and their shareholders own Star Wars. Any unrecognisable characters and scenarios are mine.**

**Author's Note: I recently watched the Clone Wars and really liked the character of Ahsoka. So I thought I'd give her her own story about surviving the tragic Order 66. **

**Life After 66 **

**Chapter 9**

"Zero seven alpha kappa two" Kaygun reeled off the list of numbers and letters that were his clearance code. "Clearance granted. Welcome back Jarrade Junior". The boy growled "D'ya _have_ to call me that Nuran?" he asked. The transmission hissed with what sounded distinctly like a laugh. "He's a menace, Nuran. The only reason my brother keeps him around is 'cause he's so good at cracking Imperial codes!"

"I'm still here you know!"

"Well I'm not" said Kaygun, shutting off the transmission "we're good mates, really. Saved each other's necks a few times. Starting landing sequence".

Ahsoka found herself descending through the atmosphere of a rich, jungle-like planet; a far cry from the arid desert of Tatooine. Kaygun expertly landed his ship on a small, overgrown landing platform. As both Jedi climbed out a green, dyed steel door slid upwards to reveal the man who could only be Malaki Jarrade. He smiled and opened his arms wide to hug his brother "Kay! How was your trip?" he asked in a deep, bassy voice.

"Fine Ki, a few stormtroopers about but nothing I couldn't shake off. I found a Jedi! Meet Ahsoka Tano, Jedi Padawan" Kaygun said presenting Ahsoka with a wave of his hand. "She was the togruta who saved me from the Temple".

"Well, well, well, so it's you I have to thank for my brother's life. My name is Malaki Jarrade and welcome to Hija 4 and The Children of Freedom!" he proclaimed.

"The what?" asked Ahsoka, who felt slightly shell-shocked.

"Come in to our humble abode for refreshments. Sorry about the mess, we've only just moved in after we were forced out of our previous base. We like to keep it overgrown so as not to arouse Imperial suspicion" explained Malaki.

"Yeah, the Hutts booted us off Tatooine" expanded Kaygun.

'They were on Tatooine?' thought Ahsoka 'why did I not sense-' but she was abruptly whisked off to see the rest of the base.

"Us Children of Freedom number about 250, 160 of which are Jedi. Kaygun and I found some other Jedi survivors and their non-Jedi friends and we formed a group which I hope will one day challenge the Empire and bring peace, justice and, of course, freedom to the galaxy. We will, of course aim to unite with other rebel groups. We are still at the underground stage, though I'm afraid". Malaki told his new captive audience. Ahsoka marvelled at the sight of people running about, chatting, weapons training and ship repairs. Malaki seemed unlike any fellow Jedi she'd ever met.

After a few more hours and being shown to her room, next to Kaygun's, she felt very much at home. She had heard many stories of Imperial injustice, not just to Jedi, but to everyone and felt pleased that she was in the position to make a difference to the galaxy once again. Like Malaki, she looked forward to the day when the Empire was finally challenged.

**Author's P.S. I have read Jedi Trial, the SW novel but my group The Children of Freedom are in no way associated with the Sons and Daughters of Freedom from JT. The similarity is pure coincidence. **


	10. Another Tunnel

**Disclaimer: George Lucas and his companies and their shareholders own Star Wars. Any unrecognisable characters and scenarios are mine.**

**Author's Note: I recently watched the Clone Wars and really liked the character of Ahsoka. So I thought I'd give her her own story about surviving the tragic Order 66. **

**Life After 66 **

**Chapter 10**

[Six months later]

"Wow that was close!"

"Did you see Ahsoka out there, she was a blur!"

"Well done, people!"

Ahsoka had just returned from a mission to disrupt a weapons shipment to the Imperial ship, the Star Destroyer _Vengeance_ and was currently being congratulated on her single handed destruction of several TIE fighters and one of the shuttles. A lot had happened to her in six months. She had been granted full Jedi Knight status by Malaki, had taken part in eight consecutive missions and had made firm friends with Kaygun. Being part of The Children of Freedom felt so much like her old life that her six years on Tatooine felt like a fading dream by comparison. People had even stopped calling her the 'new girl' and she had now fully integrated into the Children, whose numbers had grown to 370. She was then drawn into a jubilant hug by her comrades. One weapons shipment may not seem like much but it was a start and any victory was a large one for the Children. "Your turn, Emperor!" called the Children's pilots.

[A week after the _Vengeance _mission]

Ahsoka was jolted awake by the throbbing scream of an alarm. Red alert lights flashed at her from her dorm's door and someone was shaking her. Kaygun. "Ahsoka, come on!" he told her.

"Wassappening?" she mumbled, still disorientated.

"It's happened. The Empire have found us. We gotta find Ki!"

Ahsoka raced through the base, the chaos and hunted atmosphere horribly familiar. As the duo neared the landing platforms they heard the sound of ships taking off. 'Good, at least some have got away' she thought. But she still felt frustrated that it was happening again, that the Empire had had to find them. Kaygun led her to a service tunnel. "There's a secret cliff-top platform on the other side where a lot of our fighters are kept. We'll probably find Ki there". They crawled in and climbed the steep incline of the tunnel.

"We're keen on tunnel escapes aren't we, Kay" panted Ahsoka, smiling and rubbing muddy grime off her face "The one at the Temple was cleaner, though" she commented, her smile wrinkling as her sensitive nose was hit by a smell whose origin she didn't really want to know.

The Jedi emerged from the tunnel into a moonslit mossy clearing filled with fighters of every description and in varying states of external disrepair. Your typical rebel ensemble. "Ki?"

With a suddenness even attuned Jedi reflexes couldn't prepare for, a dark shadow veritably swooped down. Crimson light flashed and Kaygun let out a scream of pain. Ahsoka whirled around, fell on her knees to check over Kaygun. Luckily, his injuries were not serious but the suddenness and a blow to the head had rendered him partly unconscious. Ahsoka held her stunned friend and faced his attacker.


	11. We're Equal Now

**Disclaimer: George Lucas and his companies and their shareholders own Star Wars. Any unrecognisable characters and scenarios are mine.**

**Author's Note: I recently watched the Clone Wars and really liked the character of Ahsoka. So I thought I'd give her her own story about surviving the tragic Order 66. **

**Life After 66 **

**Chapter 11**

Ahsoka glared defiantly up at the man. His tall, dark figure was illuminated by the red lightsaber, casting nightmare shadows over his life-support armour. His eyes, were they visible beneath the unnerving black helmet, would surely be glaring back judging by his aggressive stance. So this was Darth Vader, the half man, half machine that Anakin Skywalker had become. Ahsoka could feel his anger and bloodlust.

But suddenly, his feelings changed. As he gradually recognised his former Padawan, Darth Vader's stance changed slightly. "Hello, Master. Long time, no see" she said, an undertone of bitterness to her voice. "So you found us _Anakin_" she continued, trying to provoke a response other than malevolent silence from her old friend.

In a deep, mechanically enhanced voice that was completely unrecognisable from Anakin's, Darth Vader said "That name is no longer mine, Ahsoka. Have you not accepted yet, that the man you knew is no longer here?"

"Yes, I accepted that a long time ago. Seven years ago, when I saw you murder our friends and allies and attack me too. When every week since, I've heard of some atrocity or injustice done by your new Empire. When you killed your own wife because she wouldn't betray what was right!" Ahsoka could feel hot tears of anger building in her sapphire eyes.

"Enough! Stand aside Ahsoka. That boy is a valuable hostage for the Empire. To capture his brother, we will need a bait" Vader's thinly veiled meaning was clear; hand over the boy and make this easy for both of us.

Ahsoka held Kaygun closer "I'll never hand him over! You'll have to kill me." Vader saw the old determination shining in her eyes and it brought back memories of their missions and friendship. The gesture also reminded him painfully of _her_. Padme was willing to give everything for what she believed in and her friends. Even her life. Like Padme, Ahsoka refused to show fear. Even if tears were quivering in her eyes she refused to let them spill over. Then a pearlescent tear snaked its way down her rust coloured cheek and the spell was broken. "Stand aside, Ahsoka" he repeated his words from seven years ago.

"No, Vader. I challenge you!" she said, drawing her own, green lightsaber.

"You always were confrontational, young Padawan. Very well, you will not be spared this time" he replied.

She couldn't resist correcting him "Not Padawan, Vader. We're equal now".

"You still have much to learn, Ahsoka" he told her.

"We'll see".


	12. Ahsoka's Acceptance or The Duel

**Disclaimer: George Lucas and his companies and their shareholders own Star Wars. Any unrecognisable characters and scenarios are mine.**

**Author's Note: I recently watched the Clone Wars and really liked the character of Ahsoka. So I thought I'd give her her own story about surviving the tragic Order 66. **

**Life After 66 **

**Chapter 12**

The two old friends faced each other for a moment. All doubt Ahsoka had was gone. If Anakin could ever be saved from Vader's monstrous casing, it was not by her. He made the first move, the hum and smell of ozone filling the air. The tension had broken. Ahsoka parried the would-be devastating downward slash with equal energy. Vader pulled his lightsaber free of the lock. Ahsoka leaped back, using the Force to lend her strength. "Still running, Jedi?" goaded Vader. He had even stopped calling her by her name. He just saw her as a target to be destroyed. Her resolve hardened and she flew at him, aiming for the chest. Vader effortlessly brushed the stroke aside. Ahsoka suddenly felt pressure on her neck and her windpipe constrict.

"No tricks, Vader" she said, her voice strained. She felt her breathing ease.

The Jedi and the Sith continued their duel across the makeshift landing platform and Ahsoka was holding her own but it was Vader that was leading the fight. As the two slashed, parried and stabbed, he guided them towards the cliff edge.

[]

Kaygun Jarrade awoke lethargically with a burning pain in his left side. The last thing he remembered was red light and Ahsoka's arms protecting him. He looked around at the expanse of permacreate. Several of the fighters assembled there had left for the rendezvous on Wiscani, the only moon of Tatooine able to support life. The Hutts had no business there. Kaygun looked around for Ahsoka. He called her name weakly. He saw the flash of two duelling lightsabers, one green, one Sith red. 'Vader' Kaygun realised. He made to stand up and help his fellow Jedi but his blood suddenly rushed to his head and he passed out again.

[]

Ahsoka was tiring and Vader seemed to be immune to exhaustion, his artificial limbs powered by machines instead of organic muscles. His height also gave him the advantage. Ahsoka swung her lightsaber at Vader but, like all her previous strokes, he parried it almost casually.

Suddenly, Ahsoka managed to break through Vader's defences to his arm. While he was temporarily distracted, she made another swing. But her moment's hesitation gave Vader all the recovery time he needed.

"Goodbye, Ahsoka" he said and Ahsoka felt her body being lifted as Vader used the force to push her off the cliff. She grabbed hold of the tiny, smooth handhold that was the only thing between her and a 20 story fall.

"Anakin, please!" she shouted up "Don't do this!"

"So, its Anakin again, is it?" asked Vader, with a hit of malevolent amusement, before using his lightsaber to knock her off the cliff. He turned his back on her reflex scream and disappeared into the forest.


	13. Falling

**Disclaimer: George Lucas and his companies and their shareholders own Star Wars. Any unrecognisable characters and scenarios are mine.**

**Author's Note: I recently watched the Clone Wars and really liked the character of Ahsoka. So I thought I'd give her her own story about surviving the tragic Order 66. **

**Life After 66 **

**Chapter 13**

Kaygun felt the sting of tears in his eyes as he watched his friend fall to her death. He also felt a hand on his shoulder. Terrified it might be Vader, Kaygun spun around. He was about to draw his lightsaber when Malaki voice said "Kay, stop! It's me!"

Kaygun hugged his brother, the strange mix of relief and sadness taking all the strength from his body. "She's not dead, Kaygun" Malaki told his brother "I can feel that she is safe. But we must move, quickly. The imperial troops will be here at any second."

Kaygun was still unable to tear himself away from the clifftop just yet. "You know she saved most of our lives, Kay. We would never have got so many away with a Sith Lord attacking us" Malaki told Kaygun. "Come now, Kay. You never know, she may meet us there. We'll see her again."

Kaygun took his brother's hand and allowed himself to be led away towards their fighters.

**Author's P.S. Sorry its so short. Thanks for reading and I'll try to update soon. **


	14. Some Years Later

**Disclaimer: George Lucas and his companies and their shareholders own Star Wars. Any unrecognisable characters and scenarios are mine.**

**Author's Note: I recently watched the Clone Wars and really liked the character of Ahsoka. So I thought I'd give her her own story about surviving the tragic Order 66. **

**Life After 66 **

**Chapter 14**

[32 years later or 17 years after the Battle of Endor]

[Told in third person, but from Norrin's perspective]

Thirteen year old Norrin Reweska sighed, brushing the water from the pouring rain off her face. What were they doing here, again? After an exhausting time putting up her tent, she felt slightly fed up. She roughly pulled open the polyfibre flap, threw her stuff on the floor and flopped down onto her old sleeping bag, like a soft toy with not enough stuffing, and thought back to a couple of days ago.

Norrin's good friend Anakin had had a mysterious dream, leading him to believe that there was a Jedi, still in hiding from the Empire, on Felucia. No sooner had Norrin got back from a trip with Leia Organa-Solo and her husband and children than Anakin had told her of his dream and asked her to come with him to investigate the possibility. The next day, the two had set out for the Planet of Colours and had spent all the time since then hunting through its crystalline forests for the phantom Jedi. So far, any hint of a Jedi had eluded them and even Anakin was beginning to have his doubts about the reality of his dream.

Norrin thumped her pillow to beat it into a more comfortable shape. Despite the rain, the planet was a very pleasant environment and Norrin had enjoyed the trip before the downpour started. She pulled the thermal blanket up against the cold and fell asleep.

[]

The next day, Norrin and Anakin had set out rather earlier than she deemed necessary. By the time late afternoon came, Norrin was tired of walking and, as a city girl, longed for speeders, and transportation other than her own feet in general. Suddenly, a sound roused her from her drowsiness. The scuffing sound of feet scattering leaves and other debris found on the ground under trees. She decided to say nothing but when she heard a faint rustling she turned abruptly and said "Anakin is that you?"

"No, I don't smell anything" he said lightly.

"_No_, I mean the creepy rustling".

Anakin told her she was hearing things and walked on with some amusement at her jumpiness. She frowned at him. A third time, he too heard the noises. "Come out, we know your there. Come out and face us" Anakin called to the forest at large.

Whoever it was answered by firing a small, cruel-looking arrow out of the undergrowth, which embedded itself into Anakin's lower shoulder.


	15. A Healping Hand

**Disclaimer: George Lucas and his companies and their shareholders own Star Wars. Any unrecognisable characters and scenarios are mine.**

**Author's Note: I recently watched the Clone Wars and really liked the character of Ahsoka. So I thought I'd give her her own story about surviving the tragic Order 66. **

**Life After 66 **

**Chapter 15**

Norrin drew a small stun-blaster she always carried with her for long-range defence. She aimed it quickly in the general direction of Anakin's unknown attacker. She heard a grunt and the sound of displaced earth, telling her that her lazer shot had found its target. She didn't bother to check the said target. Her stun-blaster was designed so that it could never knock someone out for more than a time specified by its owner. In this case, the person would recover within one to three hours. She was more interested in Anakin's condition.

He was disconcertingly pale and groaned. Norrin ripped his tunic so she could see the wound. It was swollen and a vile greenish colour. She resisted the urge to pull the arrow out, knowing it could make it worse and bring Anakin to full consciousness of his pain. Frowning with a mixture of sympathy and disgust, Norrin pulled her friend onto her slender shoulders and attempted to drag him through the forest. She managed it for about ten minutes but by the time she reached a small clearing, she realised she couldn't possibly carry on. She put Anakin down and took a fifteen second rest. Then she checked on him.

He had gotten worse since ten minutes ago; he was limp and mumbled incoherently. 'There was poison in that dart' Norrin realised. Someone as strong and healthy as Anakin couldn't have been brought to this by that relatively minor wound. He hadn't even lost that much blood. She drew her lightsaber and cleaved a large slice out of the strong bark of one of the crystal trees. She then tore strips off her cape and took vines off the trees to make a primitive sled. She rolled Anakin onto it and set off again, slowly dragging the sled, taking care not to snap the delicate ropes she had made.

At last she emerged from the forest into a wide, open valley. By now it was dark and twin full moons and twin half moons bathed the planet in silver.

Suddenly, the sky clouded over and it began to rain. After trudging on a couple more steps, she decided to run for it. Then the ropes broke. Norrin punched the air and screamed with frustration. She threw what was left of her cape over Anakin along with his own in an attempt to keep him, if not warm, dry. She suddenly felt a crushing frustrated helplessness and cast her eyes about wildly. Suddenly she saw, through the sheets of rain, a small homestead. 'Oh, thank the Gods!' she sighed heavily. She saw someone putting rain sheets over a couple of speeders outside. Norrin screamed to attract the person's attention and, thankfully, they noticed her. They shouted to someone inside and came running through the rain, clutching an overcoat around them.

"Hello, over there" called a female voice "who are you, and what's under the blanket?"

"No time. We have to get him inside" Norrin told her urgently.

"Right, then. You take the back, I'll take the front. You got it? Okay, let go" said the togruta woman. Norrin followed her instructions. Norrin had no idea why she was putting Anakin's life, and hers, in the hands of someone she didn't know, but the woman seemed trustworthy. 'And besides, its not as if I have any choice' thought Norrin grimly.

The woman led her into her house and laid the stretcher down in a small but pleasant room with dim, relaxed lighting. A small togruta girl poked her head round the door.

"Who is it, Mama?" she asked.

"Just some visitors, Reka. Could you fetch your brother for me?" replied her mother. The girl vanished.

After a few minutes, an older togruta boy came in, his arms loaded with blankets and pillows. His mother thanked him and asked him to fetch a medi-kit and drinks. After he had gone, the woman turned to Norrin and asked her the question again.

"Norrin. And this is my friend, Anakin" she said, gesturing to the stretcher "we were looking for something when someone shot him with an arrow. I think it's poisoned."

The woman looked under the wrappings and her eyes widened when she saw him. It wasn't a 'that looks nasty' kind of look. It looked like she had seen a ghost. She quickly composed herself and explained that the arrow and its poison came from the Malca tribe. "They hate offworlders. They think we come from their version of the devil and want to 'poison their world' or some nonsense. You friend will need to sty here. You were right not to pull out the arrow. The splinters of the crystal wood can be very dangerous if they get into the bloodstream. We'll have to wait until the swelling goes down. I'll just get the medicine I need. It takes about ten minutes to prepare" and the woman disappeared.

When she returned, she poured it liberally over the wound. "We'll just have to wait a couple of hours to see if it works. If not, I'll drive us to the city. I'll come back to check on him in a hour. Until then, you should get some rest, Norrin" and then the woman left again.

It was only then that Norrin realised how tired she was. Feeling them both to be in safe hands, she grabbed a blanket and pillow and fell asleep where she was.


	16. Reunions and Revelations

**Disclaimer: George Lucas and his companies and their shareholders own Star Wars. Any unrecognisable characters and scenarios are mine.**

**Author's Note: I recently watched the Clone Wars and really liked the character of Ahsoka. So I thought I'd give her her own story about surviving the tragic Order 66. References my other story Discovery. Sorry its taken me so long!**

**Life After 66 **

**Chapter 16**

"Norrin. Norrin wake up. Where are we?" asked Anakin.

Norrin sat bolt upright and smiled at her friend. "Ani, you're alright!". Norrin saw by Anakin's face that he wanted an explanation. "Well, I don't really know where we are. Apparently, you were shot by some tribesman so I had to take you somewhere safe. Just lucky the woman found us".

"What woman" asked Anakin, still slightly groggy.

"_Well…_" began Norrin, aware of the sceptical reaction she would get from Anakin when she told him she didn't even know the name of the person she had entrusted both their lives to when her voice sounded from the corner of the room.

"Hello, Anakin" she said, smiling knowingly. Norrin was taken aback. This person knew Anakin? So that explained why she reacted strangely to seeing him last night.

"Who are you?" he asked, all traces of grogginess gone now.

"I suppose I've changed a lot since you last saw me, _Master_".

Norrin's brows knitted in puzzlement. 'What _is_ going on?' she thought but decided to wait until an explanation came to light in its own good time.

"_Ah-soka"_ spluttered Anakin "is it really…but I thought you were dead".

"Apparently not" she said.

"But how?" gaped Anakin.

"I could ask you the same thing".

Suddenly the two burst into a mixture of tears and laughter and embraced. Now Norrin couldn't help it. "What's going on? Who are you?" this last was directed at the togruta.

"Sorry, Norrin. This is Ahsoka Tano. She used to be a Jedi Padawan when she was about your age" he paused "My Padawan." he told her. Of course this only spawned more questions so he helpfully suggested they start at the beginning.

"It was about halfway through the clone wars when I was granted Jedi Knight status" began Anakin " I was something of a hero and I now thought it was only a matter of time before I was a Master. The last thing I needed was a Padawan. It turned out to be the first thing I needed."

"Yeah, to shrink your head!" teased Ahsoka.

Anakin cleared his throat pointedly and continued. "Anyway, me and Ahsoka got paired up and became friends. Nearly eighteen months later, halfway through Ahsoka's second solo mission, I turned and the Clone Wars ended. Ahsoka sought me out to find out the truth and… we fought and I didn't see her again for years-"

Between them, Anakin and Ahsoka told their tale of the following seven years. " So Ahsoka, what happened to you after that?" Anakin asked after they had recounted their second duel to their transfixed audience.

"I found the Children again and stayed with them for five years, until they joined the main rebellion. Some of the extremists left and became vigilantes, or terrorists, whatever you want to call them. I stayed until I met Gageio."

"Gageio?" Anakin asked.

"Didn't you tell me yourself once, if I found someone, to love them unreservedly? A year later we were married when I was twenty-seven. But after a month of marriage, he was captured by the Empire, and dragged into it. He came back after a year of training, an Imperial Lieutenant. He had to be. It killed me to see him forced into such a horrible position, but what could we do? After our son, Jekan was born, that's his picture on the shelf, next to my wedding photo, he decided to make a change. He joined the resistance a year before the end of the War and made a lot of enemies in doing so. Ten years ago Kenahi, our second son was born and four years after that, Rekana, our daughter was born.

"You know I told you he made a lot of enemies? Well, one of them came back to haunt us, when Reka was almost three" Ahsoka cast her face down at an obviously painful memory "this enemy killed Gage and persuaded Jekan to believe that he was killed by Jedi and that they should avenge him. Jekan ran away to join his cause and I've never seen him since. I don't even know if he's alive".

Norrin was shocked. Ahsoka seemed so content and cheerful. Who would have guessed that barely two years ago, she had suffered such a tragedy? "Oh, I'm sorry" Norrin said. Anakin asked her if they could do anything, after all, they were Jedi.

"Yes, it is my greatest wish to see my son again" she said, simply "But what about you, Norrin, what's your story?"

After their stories were told, it was nearly midday. The two children came in asking was lunch ready yet? Ahsoka left the room to make them all something. Norrin was still thinking about the morning as she sat down to a large, steaming bowl of something like vegetable stew and wondering what would happen now and hoping that Ahsoka and her older son could, one day, be reunited.


	17. Two Promises

**Disclaimer: George Lucas and his companies and their shareholders own Star Wars. Any unrecognisable characters and scenarios are mine.**

**Author's Note: I recently watched the Clone Wars and really liked the character of Ahsoka. So I thought I'd give her her own story about surviving the tragic Order 66. References my other story Discovery. Sorry its taken me so long again!**

**Life After 66 **

**Chapter 17**

Later on that evening, when both children were in bed, Anakin, Ahsoka and Norrin sat by the fire, watching HoloVision. Norrin exchanged significant glances with her friend and Anakin cleared his throat "Ahsoka, I, we, want to ask you something".

She turned off the HV and looked at both of them. Anakin continued "We were wondering, well since the Jedi Order's reinstated and you never officially left, will you come back with us, as a full knight?"

"Anakin, I can't. Things are different now. I have children. I can't just drop everything and pick up where I left off. What about their life here, their friends?"

Anakin could see the regret in her eyes. "And your son might come back."

Ahsoka nodded. "Ahsoka, I promise you that I will do anything in my power to help you find him. I've broken promises in my time, but not this one. You always were the sister I never had."

The fervour in his words moved both his friends. Norrin took over "please think about it".

"I will consider it" Ahsoka reassured her and then, turning to Anakin she said "that's my promise."

[The Next Afternoon]

"D'you think she will, y'know, come?" asked Norrin as the two of them walked through the forest after bidding Ahsoka and her family goodbye.

"If I know her and she's still the same old Snips, then yeah, she will" Anakin told her.

Norrin smiled. She had liked Ahsoka and was hoping Anakin was right. She glimpsed their ship in amongst the trees. She smiled, thumped Anakin on the arm and yelled, "Last one there's a Bantha!"

"Wait" he cried, but he too was smiling.

[The End]


End file.
